Forbidden
by Black Twilight
Summary: When Sanosuke accidently kisses Kaoru , their world is turned upside down. SanoKaoruBattousai. PG13 for romance and language.
1. Forbidden : Tangled Love Triangle

A/N: This is my first shot at a sappy romance fic. Yes, it's true! Ms. Queen-Kills-Romance is writing one, eck. ^.^ Actually, I'm pretty proud of myself. I'd like to know if you think the same so review. *thinks* Japanese translations are at the bottom. Enjoy....  
  
Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or the characters. If I did Aoshi and Battousai would be my eternal slaves because they're sexy. Duh.   
  
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Forbidden  
  
by  
  
Black Twilight   
  
"Shit!" Kaoru screamed, causing Yahiko to run away. She watched his retreating back wondering if she would tell Kenshin about her temper tantrum. It was so unlike the calm, level-headed Kaoru everyone knew.   
  
'Kenshin...,' she thought. 'No! It wasn't supposed to be like this!' She brought her hands to her head to cradle the headache that was coming. On their way up they grazed her lips, forcing her to remember.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Kaoru had just returned from Tokyo's hospital and Megumi's torture session. Today's topic was "Ken-san" and how handsome he looked in his new gi, which Megumi just HAPPENED to buy him. Even though she constantly flirted with Kenshin half the town knew she loved a certain rooster-head; except Sano. She shook her head. Sometimes men could be so dense.   
  
"Kenshin? Kenshin?!" she called. No answer. 'Hmm...maybe he's in the dojo.' It took her four strides to reach the door that led to the training room. She pushed the door open and and stepped inside. Still no sign of that man.  
  
Half way across the floor she remembered that itr was wet, but it was too late. Kaoru slipped but her fall was cushioned. She opened her eyes to see Sanosuke leaning over her.  
  
"Jou-chan," he scolded , "you should be more careful."   
  
It was then that she noticed that his shirt was off and how close her bodies were. Beads of sweat clung to his skin bringing less-than-decent thougts to her head. 'How soft was his skin? Had he been training? Look at his muscles.... No, no! Don't stare at his chest, idiot!'  
  
Her gaze wandered up his body and led into his eyes. She gasped. They were beautiful. Deep brown, almost a chocolate. Chocolate so rich you could almost touch it; swim in it. Twice Kaoru tried to find her voice.   
  
"G-g-gomen nasai, Sano. I didn't realize..." Her voice trailed of when she looked at him. His face was nearing closer. 'He's going to kiss me.' However, she didn't protest.  
  
He silenced her with a kiss. A mere brush of lips. But then he jumped back like he'd been burned.  
  
"Jou-chan! I'm sorry. This is wrong. I...I need to go."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
A few hours ago she would have agreed that what they'd done was wrong. Kissing another man, other than Kenshin was forbidden. But now, now that she was alone, and he had kissed her, a part of her thought otherwise.  
  
"Shit," she repeated.   
  
08-10-03 1:48 AM  
  
(Okay, chapter one sucked. But it gets better! Wait! COME BACK!!!)  
  
Japanese  
  
Gomen nasai - I'm sorry  
  
Jou-chan - Missy  
  
Sessha- This unworthy one 


	2. Forbidden Chapter Two : Bloodlust

A/N: Wow. 11 reviews! I would never have thought that I'd get this much attention, thanks guys, I love you all!!!!! Sorry I couldn't post this sooner; I was banned from the computer because I stayed up to 3AM writing this. Ironic, huh? For those of you complaining that this was too short (you should see the Trigun fic. It's shorter than this) I'd tried to make it longer! In this fic we bring in Battousai for a little waffiness and fighting action. *yummy*! I tried to portray Sano in the best way possible and not be OOC.   
  
Remember Japanese translations are at the bottom along wit a preview of Chapter Three. That is, if i continue.  
  
Poor Excuse for a Disclaimer:   
  
Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or the characters. If I did Aoshi and Battousai would be my eternal slaves because they're sexy. Duh.   
  
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Forbidden- Chapter Two: Bloodlust  
  
by  
  
Black Twilight   
  
"Miss Kaoru? Sessha is home." Kenshin smiled at that. Since returning from Shishio's war he had vowed never to leave Kaoru again. She had always stuck by him during the battles and even hunted him down to Kyoto, so he figured she at least deserved a promise.   
  
When Yahiko, Sano, and the others all returned to the Kamiya dojo Kenshin half-expected Kaoru to throw herself on him or confess her undying love. Something silly like that. Sadly, she hadn't, he'd always wondered about that Didn't she know he loved her? Why?  
  
'Becasuse you never told her...' came a voice.   
  
Kenshin frowned as he tried to ignore it. Meanwhile he walked through the halls chanting Kaoru's name.   
  
"Miss Kaoru? Miss Kao-." Kenshin stopped. On the floor in front of him lay Kaoru, her face hidden in her hands. Even though her back was turned he knew something was wrong. Her ki was too stressed. Hesitantly he stretched out a hand to touch her shoulder.  
  
Her head whipped around and their eyes locked for a moment before she cast them to the floor. Then she started to vigorously rub her eyes, hoping Kenshin wouldn't notice. He did.  
  
"Miss Kaoru...Have you been crying?"   
  
"So I suppose Yahiko told you."  
  
"Told me what?" She shook her head.  
  
"Nothing, nothing."  
  
Kenshin stared at intensely for a moment and gingerly placed a hand on her cheek, wiping the water away. Then he sighed and did something unexpected...he hugged her, burying his face in her jasmine-scented hair. But after a few seconds he pulled back. There was another smell lingering beneath it all. Sake.  
  
Kenshin knew for a fact that she didn't drink so it had to be Sanosuke. Absentmindely he started to get angry.   
  
"Kaoru."  
  
Kaoru arched her eyebrow. 'He called you Kaoru.' She stared at him and her gaze traveled to his eyes. Amethyst met amber. She gasped.  
  
"Battousai."  
  
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"WAIT BATTOUSAI! DON'T HURT HIM!" Kaoru screamed. But it was too late. He pushed the woman aside and marched towards a wide-eyed Sanosuke, and with a sharp "cling" his sword was unsheathed. However, the blade of the sakabatou was not flipped upwards. Meaning his intentions weren't good. Immediately Sanosuke took a fighting stance but the hitokiri was already flying towards him.   
  
Sano growled. He saw this man when he battled Hajime Saitou and he only felt satisfaction through the slicing of bare flesh. Who was he to challenge the greatest hitokiri of the revolution?   
  
'I have to try,' he thought.  
  
Sanosuke was like that; honor and vitality were important to him. Unlike the man coming at him. As Sano prepared for the Battousai's attack he was shocked that there was none.   
  
He looked around for a minute, which was a mistake, for when he turned his head back it met the hilt of his opponent's sword. Sano grunted tumbled backwards, falling to the ground. Probably unconcious. The Battousai peered at his challenger.  
  
"Pathetic," he said. Then he turned to Kaoru.  
  
  
  
"Please, don't kill me. Please, please, please..." He laughed.  
  
"You've read my mind."  
  
With that he raised his blade and positione himself over Kaoru. Slowly he raised the sword and brought it down.  
  
"Wait just a minute," a voice said. Kaoru unsquinted her eyes.   
  
"Sano! You're alive thank kami-sama!" Sano smiled.  
  
"Miss me?" he taunted. Then he turned to the Battousai. "It seems to me that you're trying to hurt Jou-chan. I can't allow you to do that."  
  
"She's my woman. I can do whatever I please with her."   
  
"Your woman? Since when?"  
  
"That is none of your concern, boy."  
  
Sano gritted his teeth. There was only so much a man could bare. One: this man treating Kaoru like a rag doll and two; being called a boy. When the Battousai started to walk away it broke him out of his trance.   
  
"Where do you think you're going?" Sano asked. The Battousai stared at him blankly and continued to walk. Sano growled. He didn't like to be ignored.  
  
"Futae no Kiwami!!" Sano screamed, pummeling his fist into the ground. For a minute there was silence then an earsplitting crash of earth cracking open. Sano smirked as he watched the Battousai fall to the ground. Obviously, battousai wasn't expecting that. He was pleased.  
  
Kaoru was not.   
  
"You've kill....no you couldn't have," she half sobbed.   
  
She her eyes widened as she stared at the Battousai's unmoving body. A thousand thougts raced throug her head.   
  
'Is he dead? Should I be mad at Sano? He was only protecting me. Sano...Not like this, not like this...'  
  
As if her thougts werer reaching him the body on the floor moved. He lifted himself and met eye-level wit Kaoru. She gasped. He had purple eyes.  
  
"Kenshin!"   
  
9:00 PM 8/20/03  
  
Japanese  
  
Sake - an alcoholic japanese drink  
  
Jou-chan - Missy  
  
Sessha- This unworthy one  
  
sakabatou - sword  
  
hitokiri - assassin  
  
Futae no Kiwami - Sanosuke's attack. He puncjes the ground and sends a force through it. Very powerful. 


	3. Forbidden Chapter Three : Complications

A/N: 21 reviews....I'm gonna cry! I love you all! I would respond to you individually like some authors but you didn't come here to see that, right? On with the story! Oh wait. Kay Kylo is an exception. *rurouni grin* Sore wa kawaii desu, ne? Anywho, Sano just ran out of the dojo so he wouldn't have Kaoru's face to jumble up his thoughts. He was OUTSIDE when he battled Kenshin. Not in Megumi's clinic.   
  
I may not update for a week because school is starting, I have orchestra tryouts, and FF.net is going down on monday. But fear not, I won't abandoned this. *evil smirk* I have some great ideas. Oh! If you have any ideas, feel free to contribute. No gurantees though.   
  
Poor Excuse for a Disclaimer:   
  
Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or the characters. If I did Aoshi and Battousai would be my eternal slaves because they're sexy. Duh.   
  
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Forbidden- Chapter Three: Complications  
  
by  
  
Black Twilight   
  
As if her thougts were reaching him, the body on the floor moved. He lifted himself and met eye-level with Kaoru. She gasped. He had purple eyes.  
  
"Kenshin!" she cried hugging him. Kenshin collapsed into her shoulder, glad to be alive.   
  
"Kaoru-dono. I-I..." She smiled and drew a finger to his lips, staring into his eyes. It was too early to be talking. She just wanted to savor this moment, draw it out as long as possible. Oh, she was so glad he was okay!   
  
"Kaoru-dono, we need to talk." Kaoru frowned and dropped away from his gaze.  
  
"Talk? Talk? About what Kenshin?"  
  
"The Battousai, you, me...Sano." She didn't say anything so he continued to talk.  
  
"Kaoru-dono. The reason sessha almost killed someone today was because of you. Oh no. Sessha didn't mean it that way," he said catching the hurt on her face. "It's just that Sessha is too protective of you. Sessha knows that. But I can't help himself sometimes. Rather...my other self. Sessha CAN'T unleash him again. Do you understand?" She nodded. He picked up her small hand and tried to find his voice.   
  
"Good. Now tell me...Tell me what happened with Sano."  
  
"Oh Kenshin! I didn't mean anything by it. It's just that I was looking for you and I slipped and we kissed and just got caught up in the moment, ya know? I'm not even sure what came over me. Must be the weather," she said in one breathe. Hoping if she said it fast enough it would soften the blow. She hoped.  
  
Kenshin stared at her. Minutes passed by.Then he nodded and gave her a rurouni grin.  
  
"Sessha believes that it was an accident, that it was." She stared at him, not really believing what came out of this man's mouth. But if he said it was okay...she believed him. But just a little. Regardless of her doubts she still loved this man and she told him so.  
  
"Oh Kenshin, I love you so much."  
  
"As do I." Then they kissed passionately, expressing their love. Kaoru sighed and buried her face in his neck, taking her vision off his face. She didn't see the uncertainty in his eyes.   
  
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"Hello, sir. How can I be of service?" the ticket lady asked cheerfully. Rather too cheerfully, but no one was asking.  
  
"Get me a train ticket."  
  
"What is your destination?"  
  
"I don't care. Whatever train leaves first. Just...just..get me out of this place."  
  
  
  
The lady smiled at him, knowingly, even. Like she knew his predicament. How could she? She was too damn happy; or maybe the smiling face was just a facade. Whatever.  
  
"Of course. Is there anything else?"  
  
"Yes," the man nodded, taking out a package. "Can you deliver this for me? It's important."  
  
"And you name, sir?"  
  
He paused. "Sagara. Sanosuke Sagara."  
  
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Sano stretched his arms and legs against the back of the seat. He had been riding this train for almost a day and was trying desperately to forgot the past few hours. The kiss, the emotions, , the complications, the fight...everything. He casually diverted his gaze to the passing scenery, but everything reminded him of her.  
  
Like the clouds for example. Free and light; her personality. Yet white, like jasmine flowers; the scent of her hair. Soft hair...  
  
"Dammit Sagara! Face reality here. She's your best friend's girl. They love each other. You saw them after he changed back. She told him so," he scolded himself. "Besides, you can't risk letting the Battousai out again...Besides she's happy. That's all you want, right?"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
A quick brush of lips. Bodies touching. Sweaty. "G-g-gomen nasai, Sano. I didn't realize..." No protest. Chocolate brown.   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"RRGH! Damn you Jou-chan!" That answered the question. Her being happy wasn't enough for him. Her being WITH him was what he wanted. Needed.   
  
An elderly man, taken back by Sano's outburst turned to stare at him.   
  
"You got a problem, oibore? Then get lost. I don't have time for you."  
  
The man grimaced ,muttering something like "koukou", and then slowly rose from his seat. Taking his sweet time to reach the end of the cabin. He eventually grabbed the door and hobbled out, leaving just Sano and a young couple in the section. But they were too busy staring into each other's eyes and blushing to even notice the altercation. Sano watched it all with a reproachful eye. No, rather a jealous eye.   
  
10:42 PM 8/23/03  
  
Japanese  
  
koukou  
  
(n) baby chicken (Okay. I thought it was funny since Sano is called "rooster". Get it? Ahahaha!......ha........ha. *pouts*)  
  
oibore  
  
(n) feeble-minded old man; senile old fool  
  
Jou-chan  
  
(n) little missy  
  
Sessha  
  
(n) this unworthy one 


	4. Forbidden Chapter Four: Reverie

A/N: Sorry for not updating sooner! I really wanted the last few chapters to go smoothly so I outlined them. Yeah, that's right, this story is coming to a close! *tear* I'll write maybe...2 more chapters, an epilouge, and a authors note. I WOULD say more but I don't want to spoil the ending for ya. ;) Although you're going to find out in a few minutes anyways....oh well. (The next one I plan to have a sickening amount of WAFF ) Well, thanks again!   
  
Poor Excuse for a Disclaimer:   
  
Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or the characters. If I did Aoshi and Battousai would be my eternal slaves because they're sexy. Duh.   
  
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Forbidden- Chapter Four: Reverie  
  
by  
  
Black Twilight   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Sano walked through the mist. It was one of those autumn nights when you could barely see your hand in front of your face. To his left he noticed a figure sitting on the riverbank. A woman, judging by it's figure. His ears pricked up. Yes, she was singing. He drew nearer and he could make out the words...  
  
'...give me smile and shine days kimi no smile de  
  
itetsuku yoru samusa no mo good koraerareru  
  
kowareru hodo aishitemo san bun no ichi mo tsutawaranai  
  
junjou na kanjou wa karamawari i love you sae ienaideiru my heart...'  
  
The song ended and she turned to him. It was Kaoru! "Kaoru! Kaoru!" he called. She saw him and ran. She kept running. Running into the mist....into the mist....  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Sir. Sir? SIR!" the man was yelling now. Sanosuke woke up to find that he was still on the train. He sighed, it was just a dream. He was here and Kaoru was safe in Kyoto, with Kenshin. With someone else..... Sanosuke rubbed his eyes trying the annul the image of her face. It wasn't working.  
  
"Excuse me?" It was the man from the couple he saw earlier. He didn't recognize him when he wasn't hanging over a girl. Sano turned to him with an imposing look. The man seemed uncomfortable. 'Good' he thought. Yeah, it was fair to say that he held a grudge.  
  
"Well I...was just wondering, you know. Who is Kaoru?"  
  
  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"Um...who is Kaoru?"  
  
Sano snapped. He grabbed the man the collar of his shirt and slammed him against the back of the car. He raised him off the ground a few inches so his feet were dangling beneath him.  
  
"How do you know Jou-chan?" he hissed.  
  
"You were calling the name in your sleep! I swear, man! I swear!"  
  
Sanosuke's eyes softened and he lowered him to the ground, muttering apologies. Who was he kidding? He still loved her, even if she was with another man. His best friend. That part bothered him; but he would have her.  
  
"Oi, conductor! Stop the train!"  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Stop the train. I'm going back to Kyoto."  
  
"I can't do that. Do you even know fast this thing is moving? It's almost impossible to stop it at the speed we're traveling."  
  
"Fine," Sano said, and he jumped off.  
  
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Kaoru looked at Kenshin and he returned his best rurouni grin. She blushed and turned her head, giving Kenshin time to slip his hand around her waist. She blushed down to her roots. Things were going so smoothly now that they were a couple. It was like a huge weight that had been lifted of their shoulders. Life was wonderful.  
  
They continued to walk towards the dojo, but Kaoru stopped.   
  
"What is it Kaoru-dono?" She paused.  
  
"Have you seen Sanosuke recently?"  
  
"Now that you mention it sessha has not seen him. Why do you ask?"  
  
"It worries me...that's all," she forced a smile and walked into her dojo.   
  
Kenshin purposely stayed behind & watched her walk in. He was glad she couldn't see the menacing scowl upon his face.  
  
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It was 11 PM now and Sanosuke still hadn't returned. A few hours before Kaoru had been screaming at everyone for not realizing sooner, although mentally she was kicking herself. She was like family to him. What kind of family member wouldn't notice another dissapearing? Then she had sent them out to look for him. Which meant she was alone.  
  
Alone...again. She sighed and picked up her bokken.   
  
'If I keep this up,' she thought, 'I'll turn into an old woman in no time! Always worrying over people.' She brought the bokken down. One. Two. Three.  
  
'Over Kenshin...' Four. Five. Six.  
  
'Over..........Sano.' Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Kaoru continued to swing until her arms screamed with pain. Unbeknownst to her, tears trailed from her eyes and ended at the base of her arms, dampening her palms. On the twelfth swing the bokken flied out of her hands and landed with a 'clang'. She collapsed on the floor and began to wallow in self pity.  
  
The tears started to fall.  
  
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Sanosuke's eyelashes fluttered as he opened his eyes. It took him a minute to realize where he was; a ditch. He immediately tried to sit up but pain seared through his body. His head pounded. His eyes felt heavy. Where the hell was he?  
  
The he remembered.  
  
'You jumped of a train you crazy bastard.'  
  
Sano groaned and forced himself to stand. He concluded that he must've looked like shit by all the blood that was on his Aku jacket. But it didn't matter. He would see Kaoru.  
  
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((several hours later))  
  
Kaoru was still laying in the fedal position at 1 AM; her arms and legs scrunched up to her chest. She had stopped crying several hours ago but she still made no move to get up.   
  
"What's the point?" she asked herself. "No one's here anyway. Sano left. Oh Sano...if only you'd stayed a little longer maybe we could have worked it out." What was she saying? She loved Kenshin. Kenshin! She shook her head. She knew now that it wasn't true.  
  
"Sano, if only you were here, I'd tell you..."  
  
"Tell me what, Jou-chan?"  
  
~*~*~JAPANESE~*~*~*  
  
The song at the begging was '1/3 Junjou Na Kanjou.' The best anime song ever! Translation:  
  
Give me a smile and shiny days, by your smile  
  
I can withstand the cold of a frozen night...  
  
Even if my love reaches the breaking point, 1/3 of it won't reach  
  
My true feelings are just spinning on air. My heart isn't even saying "I love you"  
  
bokken - bamboo sword  
  
aku - evil  
  
jou-chan - missy 


	5. Forbidden Chapter Five: Finale

A/N: Okay, okay. I'm a month late but you still love me? Right? silence Fine, be that way!! Hehe, well this is the final chapter of Forbidden. The next one will be a short epiloge with an... implied lemon (since I'm not willing to write those yet). It's been a blast hearing from you guys! I'll make a whole chapter about you in a few weeks with my thanks! (And I'm SO STUPID! Sano HATES trains. Rrgg...Well, I revised it a bit so all will be explained.)  
  
Oh, this chapter is angsty and long. ((Cue gasping. Yes, a long chapter! The world has ended!!)). ^_____^  
  
Poor Excuse for a Disclaimer:   
  
Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or the characters. If I did Aoshi and Battousai would be my eternal slaves because they're sexy. Duh.   
  
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Forbidden- Chapter Five : Finale   
  
by  
  
Black Twilight   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Sano, if only you were here, I'd tell you..."  
  
"Tell me what, Jou-chan?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
She whirled around, her eyes widened in suprise. Hesitantly Kaoru moved forward taking small steps toward him. Then she brought her hand to his face and started to rub. Sano tilted his head in confusion. What was she doing?  
  
He brought his hand to met hers, squeezing tightly, to stop her incessant stroking. Kaoru gasped and bowed her head against his chest.  
  
"So," she whispered, "This is real...all real." Then her tears started to reappear along with fifty questions. She laid a hand upon his muscular chest and drew back when her hand was covered in blood. She paused and peered at his face. Scratches covered his chiseled face, drawing a ragged line across his exterior.  
  
"Oh Sano...Why did you leave? Why did you abandon me?"  
  
With those words he felt a sharp pain at his heart. He had left her, forsaken her, deserted her. 'Just like Kenshin would've done,' he thought. 'He's a wanderer. Kenshin would've left her someday. Alone and sad...' Sanosuke shook his head. He's be damned if he was going to be compared to that man.  
  
"I was on a train."  
  
Kaoru made a noise between a hiccup and a laugh.  
  
" I thought you hated trains." Sano looked at her for a long moment, hoping his eyes would betray his feelings.  
  
"........I do. I was desperate."  
  
She returned his gaze. 'Perhaps she does understand the way I feel.' Her gaze dropped to the floor in 'dissapointment? What does she.....'  
  
"That doesn't answer the question."  
  
He smiled. "No, it doesn't."  
  
"So tell me. Please."  
  
"I needed to think."  
  
"Think? Think?! What? Thousands of miles away from me?!!"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"DAMMIT! WHY?"  
  
"BECAUSE I WANTED TO FIND OUT IF I LOVED YOU!"  
  
Silence. Sanosuke's words hung in the air, awaiting approval. He glanced at Kaoru. She carried a blank expression.  
  
"And," she whispered above the madness. "Do you Sanosuke Sagara? Do you really love me? COULD you love a thing like me?"  
  
"Kaoru....What were you going to say before I got here?"  
  
"I-I...I was going to tell you that....that I loved you. That I loved you with all my heart."  
  
He smiled warmly and took her face in his hands. "Well Kaoru Kamiya, then I love you."  
  
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Kenshin growled, an animalistic sound. The sound of the Battousai. Truthfully, he didn't want to be out in the cold of night searching for a man that could steal his love away. But he was doing it for Kaoru, to make her happy.   
  
'Why do I hate him so much?'  
  
He sighed. It was obvious. There was a possibility that she had certain......feelings for him. He growled again and put a grip on his sword.   
  
'Calm down...You'll be at the dojo soon.'  
  
Kenshin turned his head to the winding road ahead of him. Everything was silent, 'even the trees' he thought. He was dragging his weary feet over the pavement, listening to the crunch of the pebbles when his heard voices; yelling.  
  
With lightning speed he darted inside the training room only to see the loathed man standing with Kaoru in his arms. He listened......  
  
"Think? Think?! What? Thousands of miles away from me?!!....DAMMIT WHY?"  
  
He smirked. 'That's it, Koishii. Tell him to pack his bags.....'  
  
"BECAUSE I WANTED TO FIND OUT IF I LOVED YOU!.......COULD you love a thing like me?""  
  
Kenshin gulped. So he was right. 'No! Kaoru didn't respond yet. She doesn't love him. She doesn't love him. She doesn't love him,' he repeated like a mantra in his head.   
  
"That I loved you with all my heart."  
  
"Well Kaoru Kamiya, then I love you."  
  
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"All my heart?"  
  
Kaoru stiffened against Sanosuke's chest. She hadn't realized what time it was.  
  
"Kenshin! I didn't notice you stading there...."  
  
"Would it matter?  
  
  
  
"Huh?  
  
"You told him," he said jabbing a finger at Sano, "that you loved him. Is that true?"  
  
"Yes, Kenshin.....it's true."  
  
"Then what about when you told me the same thing! What other lies have you told me, Kaoru? Did seriously think..."  
  
((Closer to the edge. Battousai emerging...))  
  
Kenshin took a deep calming breath. He wouldn't let that happen ever again.  
  
"God, Kaoru......I'm sorry. That was out of line."  
  
"Yes. It was."  
  
"Sano?"  
  
"Hmm? Yeah, buddy?" Kenshin almost smiled at that. Even after trying to kill him Sano still regarded him as a friend. 'Good man...'  
  
"You love her, right?"  
  
"Of course......"  
  
"Then take care of her for me? She's a special girl.....I guess she's yours now."  
  
He drew his attention towards Kaoru who looked completely confused. He studied her long raven hair, pink mouth, curves everything for one last time. Still beautiful. 'You'll always be beautiful Kaoru-dono.'  
  
"Kenshin.....I don't understand?" Kaoru questioned.  
  
"Kaoru I'm a wanderer, you know that. And I believe Sano has known this for a long time now. But I need to wander once again."  
  
"But why?!" she asked, voice cracking. "Why can't you stay?"  
  
"It's just too...painful to see you with...never mind. But please try to understand Miss Kaoru."  
  
"But Kenshin-" she said, tears starting to fall.  
  
"No, Kaoru-dono don't cry for me. Never cry for me."  
  
With that Kenshin turned his back on the couple and continued down the road. Listening to the familiar crunch of the pebbles beneath his feet.  
  
'Even the trees are silent.....'  
  
8:26 PM 10/6/03  
  
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A/N: Um....*bites nails* Was that so bad? I wasn't too sure how to end it. Please don't hate me! (The next chapter will be kinda lime-y but cute. And I have a little surprise for you Kenshin fans! Don't worry, he didn't become depressed and commit suicide or anything. I'm taking good care of him! OK?? Review! 


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